Car-coupling.



PATENTED NOV. 8, 1.904.

R. RBARDON.

GAR GOUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

SCI

UNITED STATES Patented November 8A, 1904.

ROBERT REARDON, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,533, dated November 8, 1904. Application filed July l, T904. Serial No. 214,885. v(No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT REARDON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State of Georgia, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Coupler, o'f which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to automatic doubleknuckle car-couplers.

The objects of my invention are to provide for insuring the certainty of action of a carcoupler of the type mentioned, for providing an absolutely secure coupling, and for providing means for quickly and easily uncoupling the device by automatic action when the locking deviceis operated to unlock the knuckle.

Vith these and other objects in view my invention comprises certain mechanical devices, one embodiment of which will be illustrated in the drawings and described in the specilication and the scope of which will bedened in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of one embodiment of my invention, showing two heads in locked position, one being partly in section to show the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of one of the heads, showing the parts in open position ready for engagement with the other head. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of one head, showing the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a detail hereinafter more particularly described.

This invention is an improvement upon my previous patent, No. 475, 153, granted May 17, 1892, and certain parts of the apparatus shown in said patent are for convenience illustrated here.

The heads a are substantially alike, but are formed right and left handed, so they may be fitted together in the manner indicated in Fig. l. Each one is provided with a rear extension a', having a pair of shoulders co2 a3 for attachment to the car. Knuckles I) are pivoted to the heads at points a4. These knuckles may be of any desired construction, such as that shown in my prior patent above referred to;

.most under the pivotal point c2.

but they are preferably provided with two ex-` tensions ZJ, each one having a slot b2 for the admission of the locking member. The knuckles are designed to normally assume the position shown in Fig. 2; but when acted upon by each other-that is, when one knuckle is acted upon by the other-they are designed to assume the position shown in Fig. l. The head is hollow for4 the purpose of receiving the knuckle, and when the device is in locked position each knuckle will be swung on its pivot into the head.

The locking device c is pivoted to the upper part of the head by means of projections c', which are preferably provided with perforations c2, by which the device is pivoted. The point at which it is pivoted is preferably located over the portion of the knuckle when I the knuckle is in its innermost position. The locking device is provided with a shoulder c3, adapted to form a rest on the top of the head, as shown in Fig. 3, and with a locking-tongue c4, adapted to enter the slot b2. An eye 05 is `also preferably provided for the attachment `of a ring, chain, or any desired operating devvice. .It will be seen that the locking device passes through an opening a5 in the head a and that the tongue extends down in a position al- It will be observed that on account of the shape of the locking device and the location of the point at which it is pivoted it will be adapted to be acted upon by gravity in such a manner as to cause it to assume a position in which the shank will enter the slot b2 in the knuckle without the application of any other force.

Z is a member located within the head and pivoted thereto by means of a stud d. It is provided with two extensions d2 cl3. When the parts arein the unlocked position, (shown in Fig. 2,) the part Z2 will be thrown backward so that the part Z3 projects into the path which will necessarily be traversed by the knuckle when it is forced to swing inward on its pivot. It will be seen that upon swinging the knuckle I) in this direction and upon its coming in contact with the projection Z3 the member ci will be swung on its pivot and the projection d2 will act to force the tongue c* toward the knuckle. This, it is to be understood, is a IOO mere safeguard provided for the purpose of insuring the proper action of the locking device, which is expected to act by g'ravity without this aid. It will be understood, however, that upon the hard service of a railroad the parts may become clogged, and this positive action will absolutely insure the perfect working of the device. This pivoted member d also has another function: Vhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l, it will be forced to assume that position; but upon the unlocking of the device by raising the eye c, as shown in Fig. 3 in dotted lines, the heel of the tongue c* will force the projection Z2 to the rear, and consequently swing the projection cl3 against the knuckleb and force it outwardly upon its pivot. This insures a positive operation of the knuckle upon its pivot and the forcing of it out of the head.

a is a shelf or projection upon the interior of the head, located in contact with the lockingtongue ci, and, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. l, serving to prevent motion of the latter out of the way of the knuckle. In other words, force exerted upon the knuckle to swing it outwardly upon its pivot will be expended in pressing the locking-tongue c4 against this stationary projection a, and will consequently have no effect upon the device and cannot by any possibility unlock the coupling. a7 is a shelf or projection from the other side of the head adapted to support the knuckle.

It is thought from the above description the management and operation of the device will be obvious and that further description is unnecessary. lt is to be understood, however, that the apparatus illustrated in the drawings and described herein is a mere illustration of a preferred form of my invention and that the latter is not limited to the details thereof, but that many modifications may be made therein within the scope of my invention. It will be obvious that many other forms of knuckles may be used with the other devices mentioned, and I do not wish to be limited to the particular forms illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a car-coupler, the combination of a hollow head, a knuckle pivoted thereto and having' a projection at one end provided with a horizontal slot, a locking member pivoted to the head at a point above a portion of the knuckle when swung into the head, said locking member having a tongue and a projection adapted to rest on the head and to hold the tongue in horizontal position and being adapted to be swung against the knuckle by gravity, and means for forcing the tongue into the slot when the knuckle is forced into the head. Q. In a car-coupler, the combination with a hollow head, a knuckle pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be swung therein, said knuckle being provided with a projection at one end havingaslot therein, automatic means for locking said knuckle when swung into the head, said automatic means comprisin ga member pivoted to the head above a portion of the knuckle when the latter is swung into closed position, said member having' a projection adapted to hold the main part thereof in horizontal position and a locking-tongue adapted to enter the slot in said knuckle, and means for swinging said tongue in said slot and for swinging the knuckle outwardly upon its pivot, comprising a pivoted member having two projections, one extending into the path `of movement of said locking member and the other into the path of movement of said knuckle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT REARDON.

Witnesses:

D. J. COLLINS, WV. J. QUINAN. 

